Kerrz
First Post
ooc: This is the first IC thread for the Forging Fury campaign that I am holding. The players are Bront, Ringmereth, Amy Kou'ai, ShaggySpellsword and d'Anconia. Have at it folks.
A group of disenfranchised warforged have come together. They have differing motives, differing skills and differing lifestyles, however they all came together in a glade several leagues southeast of Sharn. The group arrived in response to a rather mysterious summons stating very simply the word "Come" with appropriate directions.
Many warforged answered the call, however only a sparse group has remained true to the task. One such 'Forged is simply running from the law, others are looking for a life and new experiences. Bound together by an aging human, who claims the simple name of Juarin yet sports the clothing of a lord, the group have managed several mundane and simple tasks.
Juarin instructed the group in various menial tasks. A 'Forged named North, skilled in the work of a quartermaster, and a Bard by the name of Tenor were set about simply negotiating deals for building materials. The entire remaining group were put about the actual menial labour of building a small stone and wood hut for Juarin - a palace fit for a king he would joke. Always he promised that this was merely a test, that the group was being held together for a higher purpose.
Some of the 'Forged balked at the idea of dealing with a human, however predominantly the Warforged seemed to take exceptionally to the idea of working with their own people. Juarin began to leave his commands with Tenor or North, whomever was available, as they both appreciated and enjoyed the company of the human. The same could not be said of Agarndas, a dark and secretive 'Forged who could often be found cutting up forest animals when the work slacked off. Shadow, another secretive 'Forged was often about his own business as well, and while he was generally good tempered, he preferred greatly to deal with his own people rather than with Juarin or any other human.
After several months working for him and learning to work well with each other, the group was rather surprised to see the man himself come before them instead of putting orders in through North or Tenor. Juarin came to the group one quiet summer morning asking for all of them to prepare for a journey, and to meet afterwards in the low stone building that they had built.
The building was crafted as something of a dug-out or bunker. The 'Forged had been asked to dig out a 6' deep, large rectangular hole and line it with heavy stone blocks, both floor and exterior walls. Another four feet of wall were added to stick up above the ground and a roof was erected on top, slanting slightly in the same direction as the low hill the building sat upon. As such, to enter the building required walking down a tight staircase to a sheltered doorway at the level of the floor.
As the group stepped inside the building, which they had been in dozens of times before, they moved towards the left room which Juarin routinely held meetings in. He gathered the warforged around the table, knowing that offering them a seat was foolish as they would not be tired. He kept things simple, and drew their attention towards the map on his table before he began speaking at length.
"My friends and helpers, first of all I want to thank you for all of your work in bringing this base of operations to fruition. Without your help, none of this would be possible," he said with a flourish taking in the building surrounding them.
When he was sure he had their attention again, Juarin spoke quickly, "I know that you have been impatient, waiting for me to fulfill my promise of work and purpose beyond the menial that I have set before you. Today that day has come."
"I have not been particularly forthcoming with the purpose for this little shack, nor about its rather odd design. I am sure that you will understand in due time, but quite simply I have enemies, and did not want any of you to learn too much in the event that you may leave my service with my secrets in hand. This building will be exactly what it seems, a bunker of sorts, as I am gathering together a group of Warforged, much like yourselves, to build a new community."
"You may ask yourselves, 'Why is this man so interested in Warforged?' and I promise you that someday you will understand this as well, but for now all I can say is that I have a vested interest in the introduction of Warforged to this world as a whole, as real, tangible, equal people. You are people, and deserve to be treated as such."
"The first step to such a goal is to create an open forum from which the other races can see you all at work. The Lord of Blades has gone off and made a tyrannical society out of the Mournland and closed himself off, making Warforged even more distrusted than they are to begin with. Some people see you as soulless. Some people see you as mechanical and heartless. We need to show them that they are wrong, and they cannot see that if you hide yourselves behind a wall of magical fog."
"In that endeavour, I am building this village in the middle of nowhere. We need to build an economically viable enterprise to trade with the other races of Khorvaire, and to put ourselves on the maps."
"Now, this is where you come in. I am, quite plainly, not a warforged. I cannot even pretend very well. I need you folks to be the founders and ambassadors to the world at large. You will deliver the summons to groups of warforged across the continent and you will lead them to glory in the light of day rather than the darkness of the Mournland. If you wish to do this by your own volition, then I encourage that. If you prefer to be under the strict and rigid command you remember from the war, I can comply. I merely beg with you that you take up this dream as your own. The Warforged of Khorvaire need a voice and a place to speak it clearly and openly. You cannot hide from your heritage." Juarin gazed pleadingly at the Warforged assembled, hoping that his words and dreams had sunk in.
After a brief moment, before the Warforged could respond, and a look at the map again, Juarin returned his level gaze to the Warforged. He continued speaking, "If you will accept this dream, then I must suggest our first step toward this business. The Warforged have one thing that no one else can offer -- not the crafters of Cannith, or the soldiers of Deneith, or the holy-men of the Silver Flame. The Warforged have tireless fortitude. You do not sleep, you do not eat, you do not drink - you have the ability to do anything that the other races can do, and you can do it without rest."
"Many of your brothers and sisters are content with the life of monotony, be it the repetition of warfare or the drudgery of menial labour. We need to seek these Warforged out and introduce them to the dream. We need to convince them that their lives will improve if they are with us. We need them for their labour-skills. Khorvaire is about to go through an industrial revolution, and you and your people can be at the leading edge of it -- if only you gather together and present a solid front of efficient workmanship and quality," Juarin closes with a sigh.
After a brief bustling and grabbing at paperwork at a nearby desk, he comes back to the main table. He says, quietly, to the gathered Warforged, "It has come to my attention that a group of Warforged have been encamped near the border of the Mournland in Karrnath. They are being forced to work on building a fortress to hold back the dangers of the Mourning. This task would have several benefits, ranging from the freedom of indentured slaves (as our friend North should most likely appreciate) to the crippling of the tyrannical Karrnathi regime, as well as to prevent the Lord of Blades from scooping up your brethern to take part in his so-called freedom (even though his freedom involves hiding from the world.)"
"I do not require you to take up this task. Merely think on it. The benefits are great, both for yourselves and for your people. You shall have anything that you need to complete this task if you choose to accept it. Anything, that is, within reason - most notably transport arrangements both to and from the area in question. Once we build up this village, you shall find that the rewards your own people shall reap upon you will be both frequent and generous."
"Now please, talk amongst yourselves. Get back to me with a united answer. I shall now take my seat, because while you folks are tireless, these old bones are not," and with that, Juarin shuffled his papers together and sat down in the chair in the corner by the desk. He left the Warforged to muddle over the plans around the large map of Khorvaire in the middle of the room. The map pointed out both where they were, southeast of Sharn, and the region of Karrnath dedicated to this new fort - many miles south of a dot marked Fort Zombie, along the Lightning Rail track that leads into the region that is no longer Cyre.
A group of disenfranchised warforged have come together. They have differing motives, differing skills and differing lifestyles, however they all came together in a glade several leagues southeast of Sharn. The group arrived in response to a rather mysterious summons stating very simply the word "Come" with appropriate directions.
Many warforged answered the call, however only a sparse group has remained true to the task. One such 'Forged is simply running from the law, others are looking for a life and new experiences. Bound together by an aging human, who claims the simple name of Juarin yet sports the clothing of a lord, the group have managed several mundane and simple tasks.
Juarin instructed the group in various menial tasks. A 'Forged named North, skilled in the work of a quartermaster, and a Bard by the name of Tenor were set about simply negotiating deals for building materials. The entire remaining group were put about the actual menial labour of building a small stone and wood hut for Juarin - a palace fit for a king he would joke. Always he promised that this was merely a test, that the group was being held together for a higher purpose.
Some of the 'Forged balked at the idea of dealing with a human, however predominantly the Warforged seemed to take exceptionally to the idea of working with their own people. Juarin began to leave his commands with Tenor or North, whomever was available, as they both appreciated and enjoyed the company of the human. The same could not be said of Agarndas, a dark and secretive 'Forged who could often be found cutting up forest animals when the work slacked off. Shadow, another secretive 'Forged was often about his own business as well, and while he was generally good tempered, he preferred greatly to deal with his own people rather than with Juarin or any other human.
After several months working for him and learning to work well with each other, the group was rather surprised to see the man himself come before them instead of putting orders in through North or Tenor. Juarin came to the group one quiet summer morning asking for all of them to prepare for a journey, and to meet afterwards in the low stone building that they had built.
The building was crafted as something of a dug-out or bunker. The 'Forged had been asked to dig out a 6' deep, large rectangular hole and line it with heavy stone blocks, both floor and exterior walls. Another four feet of wall were added to stick up above the ground and a roof was erected on top, slanting slightly in the same direction as the low hill the building sat upon. As such, to enter the building required walking down a tight staircase to a sheltered doorway at the level of the floor.
As the group stepped inside the building, which they had been in dozens of times before, they moved towards the left room which Juarin routinely held meetings in. He gathered the warforged around the table, knowing that offering them a seat was foolish as they would not be tired. He kept things simple, and drew their attention towards the map on his table before he began speaking at length.
"My friends and helpers, first of all I want to thank you for all of your work in bringing this base of operations to fruition. Without your help, none of this would be possible," he said with a flourish taking in the building surrounding them.
When he was sure he had their attention again, Juarin spoke quickly, "I know that you have been impatient, waiting for me to fulfill my promise of work and purpose beyond the menial that I have set before you. Today that day has come."
"I have not been particularly forthcoming with the purpose for this little shack, nor about its rather odd design. I am sure that you will understand in due time, but quite simply I have enemies, and did not want any of you to learn too much in the event that you may leave my service with my secrets in hand. This building will be exactly what it seems, a bunker of sorts, as I am gathering together a group of Warforged, much like yourselves, to build a new community."
"You may ask yourselves, 'Why is this man so interested in Warforged?' and I promise you that someday you will understand this as well, but for now all I can say is that I have a vested interest in the introduction of Warforged to this world as a whole, as real, tangible, equal people. You are people, and deserve to be treated as such."
"The first step to such a goal is to create an open forum from which the other races can see you all at work. The Lord of Blades has gone off and made a tyrannical society out of the Mournland and closed himself off, making Warforged even more distrusted than they are to begin with. Some people see you as soulless. Some people see you as mechanical and heartless. We need to show them that they are wrong, and they cannot see that if you hide yourselves behind a wall of magical fog."
"In that endeavour, I am building this village in the middle of nowhere. We need to build an economically viable enterprise to trade with the other races of Khorvaire, and to put ourselves on the maps."
"Now, this is where you come in. I am, quite plainly, not a warforged. I cannot even pretend very well. I need you folks to be the founders and ambassadors to the world at large. You will deliver the summons to groups of warforged across the continent and you will lead them to glory in the light of day rather than the darkness of the Mournland. If you wish to do this by your own volition, then I encourage that. If you prefer to be under the strict and rigid command you remember from the war, I can comply. I merely beg with you that you take up this dream as your own. The Warforged of Khorvaire need a voice and a place to speak it clearly and openly. You cannot hide from your heritage." Juarin gazed pleadingly at the Warforged assembled, hoping that his words and dreams had sunk in.
After a brief moment, before the Warforged could respond, and a look at the map again, Juarin returned his level gaze to the Warforged. He continued speaking, "If you will accept this dream, then I must suggest our first step toward this business. The Warforged have one thing that no one else can offer -- not the crafters of Cannith, or the soldiers of Deneith, or the holy-men of the Silver Flame. The Warforged have tireless fortitude. You do not sleep, you do not eat, you do not drink - you have the ability to do anything that the other races can do, and you can do it without rest."
"Many of your brothers and sisters are content with the life of monotony, be it the repetition of warfare or the drudgery of menial labour. We need to seek these Warforged out and introduce them to the dream. We need to convince them that their lives will improve if they are with us. We need them for their labour-skills. Khorvaire is about to go through an industrial revolution, and you and your people can be at the leading edge of it -- if only you gather together and present a solid front of efficient workmanship and quality," Juarin closes with a sigh.
After a brief bustling and grabbing at paperwork at a nearby desk, he comes back to the main table. He says, quietly, to the gathered Warforged, "It has come to my attention that a group of Warforged have been encamped near the border of the Mournland in Karrnath. They are being forced to work on building a fortress to hold back the dangers of the Mourning. This task would have several benefits, ranging from the freedom of indentured slaves (as our friend North should most likely appreciate) to the crippling of the tyrannical Karrnathi regime, as well as to prevent the Lord of Blades from scooping up your brethern to take part in his so-called freedom (even though his freedom involves hiding from the world.)"
"I do not require you to take up this task. Merely think on it. The benefits are great, both for yourselves and for your people. You shall have anything that you need to complete this task if you choose to accept it. Anything, that is, within reason - most notably transport arrangements both to and from the area in question. Once we build up this village, you shall find that the rewards your own people shall reap upon you will be both frequent and generous."
"Now please, talk amongst yourselves. Get back to me with a united answer. I shall now take my seat, because while you folks are tireless, these old bones are not," and with that, Juarin shuffled his papers together and sat down in the chair in the corner by the desk. He left the Warforged to muddle over the plans around the large map of Khorvaire in the middle of the room. The map pointed out both where they were, southeast of Sharn, and the region of Karrnath dedicated to this new fort - many miles south of a dot marked Fort Zombie, along the Lightning Rail track that leads into the region that is no longer Cyre.
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